No Questions Asked

Yesterday I went to the bank to close two accounts. My business and personal accounts were in two different places and it was time to make it easy and get them all in one place. The accounts I was closing were not very big in the scheme of things, a checking and a small saving account.

The teller asked me if there was any pending activity on the account and I said no, I didn’t think so and so she set about closing the account and cutting me a check.

It was quite an interesting experience for me. I offered no explanation and just smiled politely while handing her my ID and account numbers. She cut a check for the savings and counted out the cash for the remainder of the checking. She smiled and said goodbye and that was that.

Oh my.

What a missed opportunity. She didn’t ask why I was closing the account. She didn’t say “I’m sorry to see that you want to close your account.” She didn’t offer that maybe there might be some way they could talk me into keeping my account there. She didn’t do anything at all that made me feel like I mattered one little bit. B’Bye.

That’s why it was easy to make the decision which bank I was going to choose. I wasn’t attached at all. B’Bye Bank Atlantic. I really won’t miss you at all.

Several years ago I got a routine survey call from this bank. In the midst of answering the prepared questions I asked the interviewer if she was from a research agency or did she work for the bank.

She worked for the bank, so I told her what I do for a living and asked her if she really wanted my opinion about the job they were doing (from the customer’s and consultant’s view) or if she just wanted me to answer her questions. She opted for the former. I went on to tell her that her customer relationships were lacking. Sure the tellers were efficient and I presume good but that all the times I’d been there or through the drive up I never FELT that any effort was made to make a connection. Everyone was polite, but as far as the building of relationship goes, no one was what I would call really “present.”

She seemed to understand what I was saying and took the feedback gratefully. I never knew what she did with that feedback because the climate at the bank never changed. (Or to be fair – I never experienced a change.) There seemed to be a lot of new people, all very rigidly trained to do things a certain way now matter how the customer wants to do it. (“I want to cash this check and then deposit $300 in that account.” “You can’t do it that way. You HAVE to…”) While I am not looking to make the relationship I have with a teller a lifelong one, I do know (having been a teller and having trained tellers) that it is possible to make a customer feel welcome, valued, appreciated and cared about in a relatively short period of time. ITS JUST NOT THAT HARD!

I never heard back from her and I didn’t take her name and number to follow up – so as this bank keeps cutting its Saturday hours and taking away some of the conveniences I took for granted, it was an easy decision that just took a long time to take care of. If they read their stats they may have thought I was a loyal customer but in fact I was instead a lazy customer. And now alas, a lost customer. Will they even notice?

What questions could you be asking that would help customers make the decision to stay?

We’ll be asking a lot of questions in our TIP this week – it’s time for a survey and they’ll be a free gift for anyone who shares their thoughts with us.

Responses

I am very much a proponent of customer service and personalizing transactions. I live in rural america, service is very much a huge thing out here, especially considering that most of the businesses out here have been around for years and everyone knows everyone thus wanting to take care of one another even further. I was left for dead by an ex and a big bank, wells fargo, took me under their wing. I had no chance of saying no to their offer of a second chance checking account! I was cashing a government check from that bank at the time and they asked me about whether I had a bank, the ladies were very sweet, kind, everyone in the bank was pretty much around me, helping me, trying to make me feel comfortable with the process–even if I was denied! I was approved, and a couple of mishaps happened (I didn’t understand about a certain fee they had and they actually reversed it for me!) So, needless to say, they have me for life. I make it a point to go inside when I have transactions as opposed to going through the drive thru because they are just so nice and kind and just….awesome!!! I work in training and customer service is one of the things I specialize in, so when you see it in full effect at an organization you appreciate it, especially with how easily other organizations are still out there despite their incredible lack of care.

April – you are so right! When you see it you appreciate it.
I also go into the bank – I like the people there and when I have that extra minute I do enjoy seeing them in person. Maybe it’s an old habit – or maybe it’s because I work at home and like some human contact. We are social creatures after all.

About JoAnna Brandi

JoAnna Brandi has spent the last 20 years helping organizations of all sizes build their customer loyalty, increase their employee engagement, create more positive cultures and transform their customer service into Exquisite Customer Care. She has inspired tens of thousands to step up and "Dare to CARE" by creating authentic relationships with energy and enthusiasm.